


A Birthday and a Beginning

by ChiaraD



Series: Seal Team Week 2021 [1]
Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Genre: Childhood, F/M, SEAL Team (TV) Week 2021, Surprise Character Cameo - Freeform, Young Trent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-16 11:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28830186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiaraD/pseuds/ChiaraD
Summary: Thirteen is a tough age. For little Trent; with a big, fragile heart that's easily broken; it can feel like life is just beginning or the world is crashing in on him. Either way, this birthday will be one he'll never forget because the memories will still be with him even thirty years later.A surprise character will make an appearance for /reasons/, but I didn't want to spoil it in the tags.Seal Team Week 2021 prompt #1: Childhood
Series: Seal Team Week 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2113896
Kudos: 3





	A Birthday and a Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't planning on joining in on these prompts, but the first one lead to a story that needed to be written. My regular readers will recognize someone. Though I think it works as a one-off, if you're not a regular reader the notes at the end will give more info about the surprise cameo; if you are, I give a brief update on what I've been working on.
> 
> I'll try to do the rest of the prompts, but please don't hold it against me if I don't get to them all in time, as I should be working on the essay/research paper about why the jerk neurosurgeon should be held accountable for treating me like garbage, even though the hospital board will just keep protecting him like everyone else while saying my life and well-being means nothing even as I spent last week with my hip and knees in excruciating and unrelenting pain so bad I could barely get out of bed to grab food and use the bathroom; not to mention the constant a heating pad on my back because my ribs subluxated from my spine twice just while writing this as well as all day yesterday... but I digress. On with this story.

The invites were handed out to Trent’s friends weeks ago and parents had called Doris Sawyer with their RSVPs. His thirteenth birthday is going to be awesome, even if his dad is too busy to be there, because it started with a simple request: a co-ed party.

It’s January in northern California, which means near freezing temps some nights and cool days, but Trent begs her to have the party at the little park down the street so he and his friends can be outside on a Saturday afternoon rather than being cooped up inside. Doris only gives in when the forecast calls for a high near 60˚ with a 20% chance of rain in the afternoon, with the caveat that presents will be stored and opened in the house. Of course this also comes with an additional request: less parental oversight. Doris trusts her son and most of his friends, especially since they frequently run the neighborhood without much beyond the occasional parent or neighbor opening their window and reminding them they’re being watched if they seem a little too eager to do something dangerous or reckless, as pre-teen boys tend to do. The question isn’t so much if she can trust the boys she knows, it’s if she can trust them around the girls she doesn’t know.

Doris can’t help but smile at her young man, all awkward thin limbs and shaggy sun-bleached amber hair, as he dances around the kitchen in his ‘awe, but mom’ tantrum. As her only child she knows she gives in to his requests a little too often, but she sees in him a want to be outside without restrictions in the same vein as his father, a long haul truck driver who’s gone more often than he’s home. She worries if she holds onto him too tight he might resent it when it comes time for him to join the real world in just five short years. With a sigh she finally caves, most of the way. “There’s that new family who moved in next door to the park so if they’re home I’ll sit and talk with them while you and your friends play, but I can’t leave you kids completely alone.”

Trent pauses mid foot stomp and looks at her, taking in the sternness and finality of one hand on her hip while in her other hand a glob of frosting drops from the spatula onto the cake she’s trying to finish for him. It’s a compromise he can live with, but should he give in this easily? A heavy overacted sigh precedes a compliant, “Well, okay.” He stands straight as he adds, “If you _have_ to, I guess that’s fine.” Turning to run from the room, he pauses when he hears his name in _that_ stern tone.

“Trent! Aren’t you forgetting something?” Doris taps her toe against the vinyl tile under her feet. He looks at her once more and she taps a finger to her cheek. “I think I deserve a little thank you for all I’m doing to make this a special birthday for you.” She doesn’t miss the tiny smile that briefly pops into his cheeks, even though he tries to hide it as he runs over, gives her a little peck on the cheek, then tosses his arms around her for a split-second hug.

“Thanks mom!” He’s gone in a flash even before the little contented sigh and slight drop in her shoulders shows how much those two little words mean to his mom.

Doris returns to frosting his cake, hoping that tomorrow’s party will make up for not having his father here on such an important birthday.

**********

Saturday morning starts early and Trent is up and running around the house long before Doris is ready to get up and moving. The party won’t start for a few more hours, but there’s no point in saying that to him when he’s this excited. All the supplies get packed, unpacked, and packed again as he wonders if he has enough for everyone or if the planned activities will be fun enough for everyone; including the girls. As his friends are dropped off and presents are set in the living room for later, Doris puts out snacks and drinks to tide them over until lunch. As she spends most of her time trying to wrangle the dozen boys who are there an hour early she’s already exhausted and ready to send them down to the park ahead of her just so she can get five minutes of quiet to herself.

Trent runs up to his mom, his best friend Josh on his heels. “Mom, when are the girls going to get here?” He’s not going to tell her, but he’s thinking about pranking Brooke today to show her that he likes her and Josh just told him that she might like him back.

Doris wipes the back of her hand across her forehead in exasperation then puts her hands on her hips. “Why don’t you boys go play basketball in the driveway until they get here? I’m sure it’ll be any time now.” Some of the girl’s parents had been a little less certain about their RSVPs, but hopefully some of them will still show up. Until then, these boys are going to drive her up a wall.

“Okay, yeah,” Trent says with a little hesitation then turns and yells out to his friends that they’re going outside for a basketball game, as Doris briefly puts her palms to her ears.

When Doris has gathered the drinks and lunch has been ordered to be delivered in two hours, she sticks her head outside to check on the kids. She can’t help but smile to see a few of the girls have shown up and are standing at the edge of the driveway cheering and giggling to each other as the boys try to show off their meager basketball skills. “Boys! Come grab something to carry it down to the park. It’s time!” The rush of awkward pre-teen boys’ lanky bodies nearly crushes her as she holds the door open for them, but soon they’re on their way to the park on the next block. Once she can see they’re all there and Trent and Josh are getting everything set up, Doris heads to the new neighbor’s house and knocks on the door.

Trent had insisted that, rather than playing little kid games or being stuck inside watching a movie, he wanted to do something really fun. He’d talked his mom into letting him order two dozen model rocket kits for him and his friends to put together so after lunch and cake they could light them off. As all the kids sat in the grass, his friends each vying to get closer to the girls they liked, they start putting together the rockets then painting and decorating them. He scoots a little closer to Brooke, trying to get her attention away from her best friend Chloe long enough to pull off his prank. So far, it’s not working well and he’s paying so much attention to her that his rocket is getting a super weird paint job. A sudden shadow crosses over him and he looks up, shading his eyes with his hand to see his mom standing over him. “ _Mom_! I thought you were going to talk to the new neighbors rather than hover over us!”

“Trent, I’ll leave in a minute, but I wanted to introduce you to our new neighbor. I thought it would be nice to invite her to join your party seeing as she’s new and could use to meet some friends before she starts school next week.” She waves over a shy girl who seems very unsure about being there.

At first Trent is hesitant, as he’d rather focus on Brooke than meeting some new girl, but he obligingly sets his rocket aside and stands up to look at her. “Hey, I’m Trent,” he says before his mind suddenly goes dim. A pair of light gray-brown eyes peeks out past the most beautiful blonde hair he’s ever seen on a girl his own age; her hair reminds him of butterscotch sugar cookies, but he briefly wonders if that’s just because he’s hungry. When she tucks her long hair behind her ear, her light pink skin seems to briefly shimmer in the weak sunlight. As if drawn to her against his will he steps forward, holding out his hand as he tries and fails to remember how to speak. He’s fascinated as she steps closer and he looks her over, from the tight rolled cuffs of her jeans above thin canvas shoes to the form-fitting bodysuit underneath an open flannel button up shirt; he can’t tear his eyes away from all the barely hidden just-beginning-to-develop curves she’s not flaunting yet not hiding. “Um, hi,” is all he can manage to add as he loosely shakes her hand.

Doris smiles at her son’s reaction. “Trent, this is Trysta Baker. She’s also in seventh grade and just moved here from Wisconsin.” When he continues to stare and Trysta is looking more uncomfortable under all the scrutiny, Doris adds, “Perhaps you’d like to get out one of the extra rocket kits for her and introduce her to your friends.”

As if finally sensing his friends' eyes watching them, Trent breaks out of his stupor and tries to play it cool. “Yeah. Hey, Trysta.” He runs over to the pile of supplies and grabs an unopened kit then sits back down in the grass and holds it out to her, encouraging her to sit next to him. Without realizing it, he scoots closer to her once she does, forgetting all about Brooke and his plan to ‘accidentally’ get a little paint on her so she’ll pay attention to him.

Doris walks away once she sees Trent is happily encouraging Trysta to join in, returning back to the neighbor’s house. “Mary, it looks like our kids might be fast friends.” She smiles, not wanting to share that she could see her son wasn’t thinking about friendship upon meeting the new, beautiful neighbor girl.

Mary Baker, Trysta’s mom, invites Doris to sit down in the chairs she’d managed to find in the mess of the not-yet-sorted garage. “Greg will be happy to hear it when he gets home from work. He was so worried when we moved here for his new job that she would have a hard time, since she’s so shy. Back in Wisconsin she had few friends and was bullied often. It would’ve broken our hearts to see it happen to her again.”

“Then I’m glad I stopped by, as I’ve done all I can to make sure Trent will turn out to be a good man, and that starts with being kind and helping others who need it.” Doris sighs as she looks over at the kids happily focused on their rockets and each other. “Lord knows with as little as Dan’s around he thankfully hasn’t had a lot of time to teach his son that ‘a man should hide his feelings’ until he foster his resentments.” Doris loves her husband; but every time he’s home for more than a few days Trent begins to take on his sullen and moody attitude and she’d prefer her son to be the empathetic, curious, and energetic kid he’s meant to be.

Mary looks at Doris then at her son. “Greg always wanted a son, but it wasn’t in the fates for us. I’m sure if Trent ever needs a guy to talk to and his dad isn’t available then Greg would be happy to hang out with him for a little while.”

As everyone else is finishing up their rockets Trent is lagging behind because he keeps finding himself leaning over and talking to Trysta instead. He shares little facts about how rockets work and tells her about the teachers she’s about to meet. When the pizzas are delivered and the rest of the kids rush over to grab some, he finds himself lagging behind and offering a hand to Trysta as she slowly gets to her feet.

“Thanks,” she says softly, her voice melodic as it dances into Trent’s ears. It’s not until she walks past him and lightly tugs her hand away from his that he realizes he’s rooted to the ground and staring at her again.

Brooke walks towards Trent, holding two paper plates with slices of pepperoni pizza on them. “Here, _Trent_. I got you a piece.” She glowers at Trysta, clearly trying to mark her territory. “Why don’t you come sit next to me, _Trent_.” When he hesitantly takes the food from her she grabs his arm and pulls him over to the picnic table.

Unsure what to do, as just a few minutes ago he would’ve been excited to have Brooke staking a claim on him, Trent just goes along with it. He sits next to Brooke and half listens as she starts to drone on about something and luckily her friends fill in the gaps when he remains silent and watches Josh invite Trysta over to stand by him a few feet away.

Clouds are beginning to fill in the sky as the kids finish up their pizza, and Doris decides to wrangle them up and herd them back to the house for cake and presents before any rain can interrupt the fun. They make it back just as a few fat raindrops begin to burst against the driveway, with the girls running inside screaming about getting their hair wet and the boys have to be told that if they get muddy or soaking wet they’ll have to sit in the garage to dry off before coming inside. As she holds the back door open for the kids to rush in she can see Josh trying to slip his hand into Trysta’s, only for Trent to notice just before passing through the door ahead of them. The cake is brought out and while Trent appears to be laughing and smiling she knows her son and can see the tinge of sadness in his eyes. While they might only be kids, Trent’s big heart has been hurt enough times by his father’s frequent absences and emotional distance; she knows the look in her son’s eyes when he’s feeling hurt and trying to hide it. She quickly moves him on to opening presents, hoping the influx of gifts will help lighten his mood. It helps, but as the afternoon is winding down and the rain once again gives way to dull sunlight that mimics the mood her son is desperately trying to hide she sends the kids back outdoors and out to the end of the driveway to shoot off their rockets, one at a time as she carefully watches to make sure they do it safely.

Parents begin to arrive to bring kids home, while others jump on bikes or run down the street to various parental calls. When Josh walks off with Trysta to escort her home while Brooke and Chloe distract Trent, Doris begins to get concerned. She braces herself for Trent’s reaction, only to feel worse when Brooke and Chloe saunter off to Brooke’s mom’s car without so much as a glance back followed by Trent spotting Josh and Trysta talking in front of her house a block away. The last of the guests gone, he rushes to his mom, tossing his arms around her.

“Thanks, mom,” he says sincerely, yet with an edge of sadness. Rather than rushing off right away to go through his gifts again, he holds onto her as she rubs his back lightly. She wishes she could comfort her little man with the big heart that breaks all too easy.

“I hope you had a good time, Trent,” Doris says gently. “Looks like you and Trysta hit it off early.” When his shoulders droop and he steps away to drag himself into the house she holds her hand against his back and walks next to him. “I’m sure you’ll be thick as thieves in no time,” she encourages. At thirteen every emotion is heightened and when your best friend swoops in and snags the pretty girl’s attention away it feels like a massive betrayal; yet, with years of experience under her belt she also knows that with five years of middle and high school ahead of them everything will eventually change.

Even if Trent doesn’t believe it now, Doris is certain that someday he’ll look back on this day and remember the first time he saw Trysta, rather than the sight of his best friend walking away with her.

**********

Trent gently holds Trysta’s hand as he formally introduces each of his Bravo teammates to her. When she slips her hand from his he takes a deep breath, a flash of memory from his thirteenth birthday party briefly overtaking him until he wants to pull her close and tell the rest of the guys they’re not allowed to talk to her because she’s his. Instead he looks around and remembers they’re not kids anymore and none of these guys will betray him like Josh did thirty years ago. He stares at her as she slowly moves around his brothers, helping to clean up from Jameelah’s birthday party as she smiles up at each one who says anything to her. A sudden smack against his rear grabs his attention and he turns to find Full Metal chuckling at him.

“You show up late to skip out of the party set-up and now you’re going to stare at Trysta rather than helping clean up?” Metal scoffs. “Get it together or Ray’s going to have Jason volunteer you for Green Team medic duties until next deployment.”

“Uh, yeah. I was just,” Trent looks back at Trysta in time to see her tuck an uneven chunk of hair behind her ear under the unflattering orange light of the picnic shelter, “remembering the first time I met her.” He straightens his back, his chest lightly puffing up without him realizing it. “You should’ve seen how beautiful she was. It was like she was born of stardust and melancholy and it was up to me to bring her out of her shell so she could light my future.”

Full Metal chuckles. “Are you a poet or a SEAL?” When Trent looks back at him with a tinge of hurt in his eyes he adds, “Clean up first, then take her back to your apartment and go on and on about how beautiful she _still is_.” He slams a half empty garbage bag against Trent’s chest then shoves him towards the tables.

Trent tries to focus on cleaning up.

He really tries.

He can’t.

He sets the garbage bag down on the top of the table, walks over, and steps right up to Trysta. Her eyes rise to his as he slips his palms along her jaw. He leans down and places his forehead against hers. “The first time I saw you at my thirteenth birthday party I could barely believe you were real. Thirty years later I can still barely believe you’re real.” He pauses as he feels her hands gently tickle along his sides. “I don’t know how I’m so lucky to have gotten to meet you once, let alone to have this second chance, but I have no intention of wasting it.” He lifts his head and looks into her eyes once more before leaving a little peck of a kiss on her lips. Stepping back, he takes a breath and slowly releases her face to take her hands in his. “When I was thirteen I didn’t have the words, so I’m saying them now: Trysta, you are beautiful, kind-hearted, and have a light inside of you I need in my life. Please don’t leave me again.”

Shock in her eyes, Trysta doesn’t know what to say. She just nods her head yes and shyly looks away, the brief reminder of their first meeting popping into her head for the first time in years and bringing with it some of the emotions she’d felt that day. Conscious of all the male eyes on her like they were thirty years ago, she breathes a little harder and has to force herself to look at Trent once more. “I won’t as long as there’s no Brooke around to say she owns you and I need to back off.” Slowly a smile creeps across her face, followed by a matching smile on Trent’s, until they both chuckle lightly. “Okay, now that that’s settled, let’s finish cleaning up before your brothers storm off in exasperation.”

A chorus of ‘Listen to her,’ ‘I agree,’ ‘Smart girl,’ and similar sentiments sound off around them and they separate to go back to cleaning up.

**Author's Note:**

> While I've been struggling with my new novel-length story (almost 50k words so far), I've been playing around with ideas for the sequel to Time Takes Two. Since I've been tinkering with Trent and Trysta's backstory, including having already determined they first met when he was thirteen, I decided to write this. The ending is a little peek after the ending of Time Takes Two, as I already planned on the sequel starting up beyond this point. It also gives a little insight into Trent, Trysta, and even Doris that will carry over.
> 
> Eventually, when I have the sequel written and begin posting it I'll add this to the series, but in the meantime I think it's a fundamental milestone that helped shape who Trent is as an adult, both on the show and in Time Takes Two, which is why I had to write it for this prompt. Plus, Trent with Doris in the show was just so AWWW and I couldn't resist writing young Trent.


End file.
